Hiking
Walking the Kosovo section of the Peaks of the Balkans
The full loop takes ten days across three countries. The Kosovo stretch through the Rugova valley makes a serious three day trip on its own, and it is the part with the guesthouses.
The Peaks of the Balkans is a 192 kilometre waymarked loop through Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro, sleeping in family guesthouses rather than tents. Most people walk the whole circuit in ten days. If you do not have ten days, the Kosovo section out of the Rugova valley is the one to take, and it is arguably the friendliest introduction to the range.
When to go
Mid June to early October. Snow sits on the high passes well into June, and by late October the guesthouses in Kuqishte and Drelaj start closing for the winter. July and August are busiest and hottest, September is the sweet spot: clear air, cold mornings, empty trails.
The permit nobody warns you about
The route crosses international borders at points with no border post. You need a cross border permit for each country you enter, applied for at least fifteen working days in advance through a local agency. It costs a small fee, it is routine, and it is not optional. If you are only walking the Kosovo section and returning the same way, you do not need one.
Three days from Peja
- Day one. Peja to Kuqishte, through the Rugova canyon. Around six hours, with a long steady climb out of the gorge and your first proper view of the high pastures.
- Day two. Kuqishte over the pass towards Liqenat and the glacial lake, then back down to Drelaj. Seven hours, the hardest day, and the one people remember.
- Day three. Drelaj down through the shepherd villages to the valley road, with a long lunch before the bus back to Peja.
What it is actually like
The waymarking is good but not flawless, so carry an offline map. Guesthouses are simple: a bed, an enormous dinner, homemade raki you will be offered whether or not you want it, and breakfast packed for the trail. Expect to pay around thirty euros a night with half board.
Take layers. The valley can be twenty eight degrees while the pass is single figures with wind. Boots, not trainers, and a head torch for the day you misjudge the descent. Hire a guide for the higher crossings if the weather is unsettled, which in these mountains it often is.
